Conformation heel



March 18, 1941.

M. A. ELLIOTT CONFORMATION HEEL Filed June 10, 1939 9 7 z /7 Maze/sfluaefyflL/orr Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES ooNFoRMA'rioN' HEELMorris Aubrey Elliott, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 10, 1939, Serial No. 278,538

1 Claim.

This invention refers to shoes and boots and more particularly toimproved forms of heels. It has among its. objects to provide a form ofheel that will facilitate walking; that will afford 5 less injuriousstresses on the foot, and incident muscles; that may be adaptable forthe correction of erratic methods of walking and placing the feet on theground and that will make the walk of persons with such shoes on, lessstriking and jarring. Another object is to provide for the uniform andeven wear of shoes.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully setforth.

The conventional form of shoe is based on the stones, cuts and wear,with the additional feature of attractiveness and character that willafford the wearer the personality that his choice provides andclassifies him in. In this invention, the heel of the shoe is designedfor the analytical considerations of the users feet and comfort. Theshoe heel considers the movement of the leg and ankle in general. Theare of travel of the foot in each step is considered, together with thebend of the sole and the twist of the lower leg, as well as its naturalstraightness or crookedness. Then the heel is developed accordingly tomeet such conditions as exist in this regard. A certain amount ofallowance is also made to make the heel flexible to variable conditionsof the terrain, covered by the user in walking, as empirically found tobe more suitable. The heel can be used as a correctional element for thefoot that works continuously, yet unnoticeably. It relieves the musclesthat are stretched and tensioned and tightens up on the ones that areloosened. It specifically meets the conditions of each individual case.The stress required to bend the leather sole of the shoe is appreciablyless, since the removal of exce'ssportions of the heel allows the shoeto roll and avoid unnecessary bending. In its general form, the shoeheel tread is curved on a cycloidal contour from the back to the front,or close to the latter. The curve, meeting the rounded shape of the heelforms an arch, which does not detract from the aesthetic appearance ofthe shoe. Where the sharp rectangular edge at the rear of theconventional shoe is used as an axis to roll on, the jar on the frontportion of the heel is relatively sharp and sudden. In this invention,the heel rolls on a series of points, like the cycloidal travel of thetooth of one gear on another, with the axis function varying over aconsiderable spread, and becoming so gradual in action as to entirelyoriginal idea of protecting the foot against eliminate any jar. Thismakes the use of the shoe more comfortable and easy on the feet.

In the drawing, which illustrates an example of this invention:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective, indicating a shoe with a heelembodyin this invention thereon,

Figure2 is a view looking up on the underneath or tread surface of theheel shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view dl of the heel,

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the heel, I

Figure 5 is a rear. elevation of a modified form of heel, intended forpersons who run-over on their heels towards the sides,

Figure 6 is another modified form of heel using a heel completelyrounded on the continuation of the curve on which the rear portion ofthe heel is contoured,

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the leg movement and shoe, and sFigure 8 is a detail diagrammatic sketch indicating the movement of theshoe during walking Similar reference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the drawing.

In the drawing i represents a conventional fdrin of shoe, with a heel 2having its side Walls 3 of normal shape and design. The surface adjacentthe instep portion of the shoe, however, is preferably curved on the are4, circumferentially described from a center located on or adjacent tothe border line of the instep 6 opposite to that at the heel. The undersurface of the heel curves on an are I, beginning at the central rearline or axis of the heel and with a cycloidal contour downwardly towardsthe front curve 4 of the heel, but preferably flattening out at 9 aboutone-fifth the distance of the length of the heel from its front portion4. This makes the rear portion of the contour 8,, where it meets thecircular periphery of the heel, of an arch form. This form is developedfrom the characteristic walk of an individual and in relation to thestress brought about on the various muscles on the leg and foot.

The individual, in walking, swings his leg from its hinge at the thigh.Disregarding the effects and actions at the knee joint, the walkingaction is similar to that of a wheel with its hub at the hinge, and theperiphery at the sole of the foot. The swing of the leg iscircumferential. Since the conventional shoe has afiexible sole, and theheel projects beyond the peripheral circle, it is desirable to have theheel rounded off to approxithrough the mid- Cal mately coincide withthis art, and yet have a cycloidial form modified to suit the footmovement during the walk and the other conditions arising. Thisarrangement of the heel takes the tendency to stretch and stress ofi therear muscles above the heel of the foot, which the ordinary shoe heelproduces, since the heel structure is high and has no give. At the sametime, the muscles below the shin tighten to a normal condition, insteadof being loosened in the usual manner by the heel. 'This is because, inthis invention, the rear portion of the shoe heel does not project out,and prevent a normal bending of the foot. At the same time, thetorsional twists and sidewise bends of the users foot are avoided by thecentralizing and symmetry of the curve I in the form of the heelindicated. Where it is desired to overcome the tendency. of some peoplesfeet to run-over on a side' portion, and this is specifically known, theheel is modified as indicated in Figure by changing the position of theheel curve I! and I8 over to the side opposite that which the wearerreacts, and thereby ofiset his run-over tendency. This curve is formedin a wave form that leads back'toward the center line of the flatportion 9, and does not distort the shape of the heel conspicuously.

In other general respects, the heel uses the same principles as in theoriginal form described. These heels remove the tendency of persons toscuif their shoes on the ground, as their feet roll naturally on afulcrum provided by the ball of the foot. The result is, the user of theshoes with these heels becomes less tired, and walks with less effort.The length covered by the shoe is appreciably longer and thereby reducesthe pressure per unit area exerted on the ground in a step.

The leverage action of the shoe is substantially changed by the roundingof the heel. Actually it relocates the fulcrum on which it hinges, inthe conventional type of shoe, from the rear border line of the heel, toa point adjacent the front of the heel in the present invention. Inaddition, there is a cycloidal rolling fulcrum due to the curve providedon the tread of the heel. The changing of this fulcrum also changes thevalue of the moments. The pressure exerted on the toe of the shoe isless effective in stressing the back muscles of the leg when the fulcrumpoints are closer to it on the heel than when the fulcrum is at the rearborder line of the heel. The effect is appreciated more fully by theuser of such heels on his shoes, when he is walking uphill on hillyhighways. The roll on the heels afforded by the curved contourdescribed, adjusts the foot to the road and allows the walker to assumea morenatural position. The effect of the straight heel enforces aforward position on the leg of the user and the extrastress on themuscles of the leg entailed coincidently. The changing of position inthe fulcrum is indicated in the diagram in Figure 8; A showing theconventional heel location, and B that of this invention, from which theeffects above noted may be considered.

In Figure 6, is shown a modified form of heel, that has its front orinstep portion rounded at I9 on the continuation of the rear curve. Thiscurve may be on a circular are or slightly modified to meet empiricalconditions. Its purpose is to continue the rolling action of the heel,and

- oifer less resistance to the bending forward of the shoe.

While but 3- forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, it is notdesired to limit this application for patent, to the particular formsindicated, otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it is appreciatedthat other constructions might be developed that would usethe sameprinciples, and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a heel of the class described, the combina- 4 distance of the flatportion in the middle of the front line, substantially as described.

MORRIS AUBREY ELLIOTT.

